Freemasonry Tinder An Interdict.

seer , " the Illuminati , the model and parent of many other of Ihose criminal combinations which so hinder the progress and disturb the peace of mankind at the present time . Iu May 1738 , Clement XII . issued the well-known Bull , "In "Eminent ! Apostatalua Speonla , " condemning all Freemasons every .

where , on various grounds ' , some untrue , some absurd , without hearing or appeal . And this condemnation remains the law of the Roman Catholic Church to this day , though curiously enough this bull was never published in France or Germany . Iu 1739 , 14 th January , Cardinal Ferrao , from Rome , forbade , on

pain of death , all priests or persons everywhere fco join fche society of Freemasons . Ou the 18 th February 1739 , the Inquisition condemned , in a published sentence , the " Relation Apologique , " said to be written by Ramsay , and ordered the book to be burnt .

In 1742 , II . F . Xavier De Belsance , de Casfclemoron , Bishop of Marseilles , issueda " Mandemenfc " to the faithful , forbidding them to associate with the Freemasons . In 1748 , the Chapter of the Sorbonne , ab Paris , consulted and decided against the Freemasons , whioh decision the Lieutenant of Police published .

In June 1751 , Benedicb XIv . issued another well-known bull , " Providus Romanorum Pontifioum , " & o ., repeating the Ball of Clement , and adding a few warm touches of his own . In July 1751 , the Archbishop of Avignon , Joseph de Guyon , called attention to this Ball , in a " Mandement . "

Dnring the last century Freemasons wero condemned by Scottish Presbyterian Synods , almost in Roman Catholic language , by Calvinists , afc Berne , and in Holland , ab one time in Naples , and after the Emporor Joseph's death were suppressed in Austria and Lombardy . In this century the Roman Curia revived the condemnation of

1738-51 , in 1814 , in 1821-22 , and again moro than once in tho Pontifi cate of Pius IX . The Archbishop of Malta , the Archbishop of Mechlin , an Arch

hichop in Now South Wales , and in India , Cardinal Manning , and Irish Bishops and Archprelates , havo all aliko declared Freemasonry an illegal and injurious society , and Freemasons to bo alike irreligious and immoral .

And all this without the slightest shadow of justification , tho slightest pretence of reality , the slightest claim fco truth . No more loyal , no more enthusiastically loyal body exists anywhere than the vasfc aggregation of Anglo-Saxon Freemasons , and whether under a Monarchy or in a Republic , whether in India , New Zealand ,

Canada , or New South Wales , whether in Great Britain or the United States , they are always foremost in upholding peace and order , in paying due obedience to fche civil magistrate , in giving unto Crosar the things which are Caesar ' s , and fco God tho things which are God ' s . As a largo section of tho human race , their intelligence is very

great , their respectability very marked , and with very few exceptions they aro an example for good to all around them . Therefore the explanation of this paradox must bo sought elsewhere . Freemasonry , to the average Roman Cafcholio mind , and much

more to the rulers of that astute body , represents three great principles with which Rome is over afc war . Ono is the principle of toleration ; another the principle of the sanctity of the human conscience j the third is tbo inalienable and sacred right of private judgment . —Nexa Zealand Mail

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not "hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear tbe name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

— : o : — QUALIFICATION OF CANDIDATES TO OUR SCHOOLS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIB , AND BROTHER , —As the proposer of fche resolution , " That fathers of candidates should have made themselves Life Governors of the Institutions into whioh their children are seeking admission " within the seven years' limit—which , afc the suggestion of many

brethren I withdrew , not becanse I thought I was wrong in my object , but from a belief thafc the brethren did not sufficiently understand the reason of my bringing the resolution forward—I hope at somo future day to see it carried . Bro . Gladwell opposed ; he thinks it a too cheap and easy a method of obtaining the right of qualifying

ns a candidate . Bro . Binckes , because it would be turning our Order into a Benefit Society . As to the first objection , I think I shall be able to prove thafc the qualifying right is far too cheap and easy as at present in use with us , even with the seven years subscribing membership , which I trust will not only be carried , but acted upon

after the next Quarterly Court . For my purpose , I will take the fly sheets of tbe proxy . papers issued for the last election ; there I find that out of 24 Boys who were elected one parent was Life Governor of the three Institutions , one Life Governor of the Boys , one Life Governor of the Benevolent one had contributed to the Boys and

Benevolent ; two had given something to the Benevolent , and three bad occasionally given to the Boys , leaving fifteen with no record to their names . Of the nine successful Girls , one parent was Life

Governor of all three , one Life Subscriber to the Benevolent—one gave occasionally to the Benevolent—while to the remaining six there ia no record . Nine Boys and four Girls were under the seven years ' limit , and one of the latter only nine months . Of course there may

Correspondence.

bo somo whose names have been absorbed in tho Provincial lists , and consequently nofc recorded individually , yefc I am of opinion thafc when ont of a list ot thirty-three only twelve are recorded as doing anything , and out of twelve only threo had made themselves Life Governors of the Institutions into which their children had been

received . Some means should bo devised of stimulating Craftsmen to further exertions in the future , bufc if in the opinion of the brethren my scheme ( which would have added 210 guineas to the Boys and 60 guineas to the Girls' Institutions ) is too easy , let tho standard bo raised to Vice-Presidentship within the seven years' limit . Seven

years subscription to a Lodge or Lodges does not necessarily constitute a benefit to any ono of the Institutions ; as there aro several who never give anything . Now as to objection No . 2— " making a benefit society of our Order . " I beg to differ from my good friend Bro . Binckes . The members of tho Craft aro admitted on the solemn

assurance that they do not join with any mercenary or unworthy motive ; but thafc we shonld have Institutions wherewith to aid and assist those members who have had the misfortune to be reduced to poverty , more or less severe , is merely the outcome of thafc Grand Principal of Freemasonry " Charity . " In thoso other grand Orders

viz ., Odd Fellows , Foresters , & c , & c , which are benefit societies pure and simple , the members join on the distinct understanding thafc they shall receive aid aud assistance in case of accident , sickness or death , and that appears to me to be the great and essential difference ( in principle if not in practice ) between us . Tours fraternally , CHARLES J . PERCEVAL . 8 Thurloe Place , S . W . 3 rd November 1888 .

Class Lodges.

CLASS LODGES .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In the article on Class Lodges , in your ast issue , you say , " Surely if . thoy were capable of being easily disproved somo stringent measures should havo been adopted to contradict them . " With this I do not agree , for , as a friend lately

said to me , " You can t stop to whip every cur that barks afc you ;" nevertheless , in the present caso a contradiction may be of importance . Ifc seems to me thafc no intelligent mind can read your article without being thereby convinced in / auour of so-called Class Lodges . I must , however , leave that discussion to thoso who havo more leisure

than I at present have . The Temperance Lodgo in question cannot bo considered a Class Lodge ; had it boon such , the " scandal , " as you term it , would never havo arisen . I havo yet to learn that it is part of Masonry to compel any Lodgo to havo alcohol or indeed anything else on its dinner

table . And yet this is the only point in question . A small clique ( at least so it appears to be ) of a few , who are not generally regarded as " moderate drinkers , " wishes to compel the largo majority of tho Lodge , which comprises teetotalers and non-teetotalers , to havo alcohol on the Lodge dinner table against their wish . Ifc is thafc clique that is tho blackballing party , and not the abstainers .

There is , as far as I know , no temperance party in the Lodge , and I havo scarcely missed a meeting since the consecration . The quotation states " a senior member of the Lodge has been displaced already" from office . The one evidently referred to wrote a letter to the then W . M ., stating his inability to attend the Lodge ,

and therefore withdrew his candidature . His letter is now in my hands , as also one from the then W . M ., objecting to his being reappointed , both of which I am prepared to produce in due season . You assert that " Ifc has long been known to us that this ¦ Temperance Lodge has been conducted on most nn-Masonic principles . "

I am no young Mason , and consider I have fche right to request thafc you point out the " un-Masonic principles " in question . The only nn-Masonio conduct I am aware of has been on the part of the " small clique , " which comprises about six members . ¦

If our brethren want to see how good and how pleasant ifc is for brethren to dwell together in nnifcy , " lefc fchem pay a visit to the only temperance " Class " Lodge thafc can be really called such , viz ., fche King Solomon Lodge of Mark Masters . Yours faithfully ,

The Fifteen Sections

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS

WILL BE WORKED At the Londesborough Lodge of Instruction , No . 1681 , held afc the Berkeley Arms , John-sfcreefc , May Fair , on Wednesday , 14 th November 1888 , at seven o ' clock precisely . Bros . Wood S . W . 1681 W . M ., Kew

P . M . 179 S . W ., Eveudon P . M . 749 J . W . Firsfc Lecture—Bros . Smith , Blyth , Price , Robinson , Goldfinch , Kirk , and Wood . Second Lecture—Bros . Lewis , Brindley , Evenden , Kew , and Sedgwick . Third Lecture —Bros . J . Rayner , Bullon , and Cursons . ' Bro . Wood Preceptor . Bro . Sedgwick Secretary .

HOLLOWAY ' OINTMENT AND PILIIS . —Abscesses , Erysipelas , Piles . — "Unvarying success attends all who treat these diseases according to the simple printed directions wrapped round each pot and box . They are invaluable to tho young and timid , whose bashfulness sometimes endangers life . Though apparently local , diseases of this nature are essentially blood diseases , but" a

little attention , moderate perseverance , and trifling expense will enable tho most diffident to conduct any case to a happy issue without exposing secret infirmities to any ono . The Ointment checks the local inflammation and alleviates the throbbing pains . These directions also clearly point out when and how Holloway ' s Pills are to bo taken , that their purifying and regulating powers may assist by adjusting and strengthening the constitution . -